To enjoy summer safely, we encourage parents and caregivers to consider summer injury prevention and health promotion. Playground, sports and water safety, preventing heat injury, and sun protection are great topics to review with family members and other caregivers.  Teenagers spending time with friends or working may benefit from additional conversations about subjects such as car safety, expectations around communication, accountability, and risk-taking behaviors like alcohol or other drug use.

The summer months can also be stressful for some families as they move away from schedules and resources available during the school year. Students may feel isolated from peers, miss trusted adults at school, or spend more time on screens and social media. Staying connected through open communication, being mindful of how kids interact with others, and investing in summer routines helps both emotional and physical health. Nutrition, exercise and sleep schedules tend to shift over the summer and everyone feels better if they are well-nourished, active and rested.